The Golden State Warriors couldn't quite finish the job against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, falling 108-104 in a highly anticipated season-opener. Veteran teams like the Dubs don't need to harp too much on hard-fought losses, especially when an indispensable impact player like Draymond Green is watching from the bench. There was plenty to like from Golden State against the Suns, too, even if the final score indicated its strong effort was a failure.
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from that lens of process over results? Klay Thompson's individual defense on Suns superstar and Kevin Durant, which he later credited in part to the influence and knowledge of fellow former Warriors teammate Andre Iguodala.
“The key to defending big guys is just try to use your quickness and quick hands to affect their motion with shooting, 'cause it's hard to contest up top. It's nice to try and get a hand on the ball,” Thompson said on Friday when asked about his success checking Durant.
Pressed whether his attempts to strip the ball as Durant rose to shoot was effective, Thompson invoked Iguodala, whose low, active hands defensively caused problems for opposing superstars throughout his iconic tenure with Golden State.
“I think so,” Thompson told Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “Definitely learned that from Andre Iguodala, probably the best I've ever seen at stripping people.”
Klay Thompson had a good defensive opener guarding Kevin Durant. Bothered his shot a few times and generated a steal using strip move.
"Definitely learned that from Andre Iguodala. Probably the best I've ever seen at stripping people."
Here are the clips and a Klay soundbite pic.twitter.com/m8am0fPSgO
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 27, 2023
Klay Thompson's defensive role with Warriors in 2023-24
Steve Kerr lauded Thompson's individual defense after the game, noting he made life consistently difficult for the two-time Finals MVP even though Durant missed several makable looks.
“I thought Klay was great. He did his best to make things difficult on Kevin,” Kerr said. “There's not a whole lot you can do once he rises up and gets that release above his head. You just have to do your work early.I thought Klay did that. He was physical with him off the ball. Tried to force him into some tougher spots. Kevin missed some that he'll make next time. But Klay was really solid defensively.”
Durant, obviously, won't need 22 shots to score just 18 points every time he faces the Warriors. Jonathan Kuminga deserves a lot of credit for slowing him down, too. But Thompson's defense on a longer, bigger player in the opener was still encouraging nonetheless, especially given the new role he's being asked to play on that side of the ball this season.
Thompson will be defending forwards much more often than guards in 2023-24, lacking the foot speed and lateral mobility that made him one of the league's stingiest defenders on opposing primary ball handlers in his pre-injury prime. Tuesday's game served as clear justification behind that shift. While Thompson more than held his own guarding Durant, Devin Booker proved much too quick and explosive off the bounce for the 33-year-old to contain him.
There are limitations to effectively playing Thompson as a power forward on defense, especially when Golden State goes small. He's never been a disruptive, airtight help defender, and lacks the length and leaping ability to serve as a regular deterrent on the back line. Thompson hasn't been a good rebounder throughout his career, either, though made an obvious and concerted effort to fight harder on the glass against Phoenix, pulling down seven boards.
The Warriors don't need Thompson to contend for All-Defense honors like he regularly did before those devastating back-to-back knee and achilles injuries. Simply staying solid guarding scorers like Durant is enough for him to be an answer on that end, a possibility that seems increasingly likely the more he embraces Iguodala's signature defensive swipe.
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